How To Choose And Use A Robot Vacuum With HomeKit?

What's in your smart home dream? Wake up as curtains and window automatically open up to let natural light and fresh air in, and fresh coffee ready for you in the kitchen…if you already have smart products but are questioning how to control them, Apple's HomeKit makes controlling your smart home gadgets really straightforward – just a tap on your iPhone or a word to Siri, and you're set. It's part of Apple's broader vision to simplify smart home management. Adding a robotic vacuum cleaner to this setup brings several serious perks, such as coordinated automation and optimised ease of use. Unlike non-HomeKit models, these smart vacuums offer a more streamlined and secure home management experience, tapping into the sophisticated simplicity of managing everything from one place.

Can You Connect Your Robot Vacuum To HomeKit?

No, unfortunately, robotic vacuum cleaners cannot be connected to HomeKit at this moment. Apple HomeKit currently does not officially support any smart vacuum on the market as it lacks compatibility with robotic vacuums as an accessory type. Apple HomeKit only supports a specific list of product types, including air conditioners, cameras, lights, locks, and more. Since robotic vacuums are not on this supported list, regardless of brand, they are not compatible with Apple HomeKit. Users seeking HomeKit integration should consider other integration methods for Apple Home to control the smart device via Siri and the Apple Home app.

What are the Alternatives To HomeKit?

So, Apple HomeKit currently does not support automatic vacuums, but don’t worry! There are other ways to control your cleaning robot with voice commands.

The next big trend lies in Matter. If you are not familiar with it, Matter is an open-source connectivity standard for smart home and IoT devices, which aims to enhance interoperability and compatibility among various manufacturers while prioritising security and local control. This standard allows different devices and ecosystems to work together, hence users can control their devices regardless of the voice assistant or platform they prefer.

Development of Matter is ongoing, serving as a universal language that supports Apple Home, Google Home, Amazon Alexa and the like. Manufacturers are leaning towards adopting Matter to ensure their devices are compatible with various smart home and voice services. In October 2023, CSA already announced support for nine new device types in Matter 1.2, including refrigerators, dishwashers, and notably, robotic vacuums.

Matter empowers a range of features on Apple Home, such as remote start, progress notifications, cleaning modes (e.g. vacuum only vs vacuum and mop), and additional status details like brush status, error reporting, and charging status.

Apart from Matter, DEEBOT users can also set up voice commands using Apple's Shortcut app and control their devices through Siri. This streamlined process encourages easy integration of robotic vacuums into existing smart home setups. Read along for the step-by-step guide to set up your DEEBOT to Siri.

It is worth mentioning that DEEBOT robot vacuums are further equipped with YIKO voice assistant, setting them apart in the market. YIKO is an industry-leading interactive voice assistant that upgrades the hands-free cleaning experience: using the latest advancements in natural voice recognition and sound source localisation, it supports multiple languages including English, German, French, Italian, Japanese, Korean, and more. With the built-in YIKO, you can simply activate the assistant by saying "OK YIKO", and then give voice commands without integrating it into any smart home systems.

Are DEEBOT Compatible with Apple Home via Matter?

Yes, as a new iteration of the award-winning X2 OMNI, DEEBOT X2 COMBO will be the first DEEBOT robot vacuum compatible with Apple Home via Matter 1.2. Once the function is updated by the smart home system, you can enjoy compatibility features like voice commands, Siri integration, and scheduled cleaning. With Matter certification, the X2 COMBO can easily integrate with various ecosystems.

Built upon the award-winning DEEBOT X2 OMNI model, DEEBOT X2 COMBO kicks things up a notch by throwing in a handheld vacuum to the mix. Think about it: most homes in the UK have more than one floor, so you likely end up with a whole stash of cleaning gear. This combo model eliminates the need for all those extra products, saving you money and freeing up space for things that matter. Both the vacuum and stick attachment boast an impressive 8,000Pa suction power¹, with the OZMO Turbo 2.0 system and mop lifting function to tackle stains from hard floors to carpets. The smart features include TrueDetect 3D for obstacle avoidance and the responsive YIKO 2.0 voice assistant, which supports multiple voice control scenarios, including conversations with multiple commands, local dialects, and offline natural language processing. Thus, you can remotely control the robotic vacuum and schedule cleaning effortlessly.

Note that DEEBOT X2 Combo is available only in the US for now. There's no news yet on when it will be available in Australia, however, it gives us a good idea of what could be expected in the coming months.

How To Set Up Your Robot Vacuum With Voice Control Through Siri?

Looking to control your auto vacuum with Siri? DEEBOT users can simply set it up via Apple’s Shortcut app. A shortcut provides a quick way to get things done with just a tap or by asking Siri, including home automation, where actions are run based on the time of day, scenarios like people arriving or leaving, or ad-hoc commands. Here's how to set it up:

1. Make sure your device is connected to the ECOVACS Home App and online.
2. Open the Shortcut App on your iPhone or iPad, then tap the "+" icon in the top right corner.
3. Select "Add Action" and search for "ECOVACS Home" to find available commands like "Start Cleaning", “Area Cleaning”, “Pause Cleaning” and “Return to Charging Dock”.
4. Choose the specific device you want to control with this command under "Robot" and give the shortcut a name for future use.
5. Now, try saying the shortcut command to Siri, and you'll see the corresponding device being controlled in the ECOVACS Home App. Explore setting up other commands for more convenience!

FAQ

Disclaimer(s):

1. 8,000Pa: This data comes from ECOVACS laboratory. The suction power of DEEBOT X2 OMNI can reach 8,000Pa.